1891 
79 
Poultry Yard ’ 
Feed the hens hay. 
A hen never will lay until she feels well. 
Linseed meal is useful with the boiled 
potatoes. 
England pays $45,000,000 for eggs each 
year. Of this $20,000,000 goes abroad. We 
would hear less of the “ Irish question” if 
Ireland would secure this egg trade. 
Mrs. L. Harrison reports the following 
novel objection made to Light Brahma 
fowls at the Illinois show : “ I won’t raise 
them,” said the critic, “for the hogs eat 
them up ; they have feathers on their legs 
and when it is muddy they can scarcely get 
around ; it is worse when it is freezing and 
thawing, for then the mud freezes to their 
feet, and they take cold ; they are not very 
hardy and are more subject to cholera than 
some other breeds.” 
Offal for Poultry.— When killing 
hogs much of the offal will serve as food 
for poultry, and especially the blood, which 
is quite large in quantity, and which 
may be preserved in tin buckets, if kept in 
a cold place. To feed it, add one pint of 
blood to two quarts of corn meal and one 
quart of middlings, mix as dough with 
warm water, bake as bread, and feed it 
once a day to the hens. Blood is highly 
nitrogenous and is one of the best materials 
for producing eggs that can be given.— 
Minnesota Farmer. 
Potatoes and Chickens.—A plot of land 
about 30 feet square was plowed and in¬ 
closed by a wire fence; then five coops of 
chickens were placed on one side, and the 
rest of the land was planted with potatoes. 
I raised 100 chickens, and dug about four 
bushels of the nicest potatoes. Not a 
potato bug was seen during all the season, 
although the pests were plentiful on the 
potatoes on another part of the farm. The 
vines, which were exceedingly thrifty, 
afforded shade for the chickens, which in¬ 
jured the vines but little,although they ran 
through them all the time, till the potatoes 
were dug. G. H. w. 
Essex County, Mass. 
Various methods are proposed for kill¬ 
ing or capturing hawk«. A “ hawk trap” 
is a board with a number of long spikes 
driven through it and sharpened. A chick¬ 
en is tied to the board and the hawk in try¬ 
ing to catch the chicken sticks himself on 
the spikes. Some farmers kill a chicken, 
pierce the flesh with a knife and put in 
strychnine. Then they hang the carcass to 
a tree. A remarkable (?) story comes from 
Connecticut of a farmer who took a 
scythe blade, ground it as keen as a razor 
and bolted it to a high pole with the edge 
up, at an angle of 45 degrees. The hawks 
would fly down to rest on the scythe, while 
they “sighted” at a chicken and would at 
once slide down the keen edge, cutting off 
their toes 1 
THE COST OF IMPROVING A FLOCK. 
The cost of improving the poultry on 
farms is such a trifle that not only is there 
no excuse for the keeping of scrubs, but 
it is really astonishing that they should be 
found at all. It is safe to assert that a 
single male may be the sire of 1,000 chicks 
in a year (or more), and estimating his cost 
to be $5, (which is much above the average 
price for males intended for purposes of 
improvement), the sum so expended is but 
a small fraction compared with the gain 
secured. If the male is of a non-sitting 
breed, and is used for the purpose of in¬ 
creasing the production of eggs from the 
offspring, the number of extra eggs to be 
laid by the pullets or hens sired by him, 
that are to pay for his cost, in a flock of 
100 hens, would not exceed three from each 
in one year. That is, if the flock is so im¬ 
proved that only three more eggs are laid 
by each in a whole year, the $5 for the 
male will be returned, and a profit as 
well. 
If the weight and quality of the market 
stock are to be improved, a male of the 
large breeds will not only increase the 
weight of the fowls and improve the 
quality of their flesh, but also increase 
the productiveness of the hens to such an 
extent that the original cost and a profit 
will be returned. 
The practice of “ changing eggs ” with 
neighbors belongs to the past, and the 
present generation should ignore it, not 
only because purebred stock can be bought 
for a trifle, but also because the changing 
of eggs tends to inbreeding, and finally 
destroys the vigor of the fowls. Some are 
indisposed to pay $2 or $3 for a setting of 
eggs from some desirable breed because 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
they object to paying so much for “ eggs;” 
but in reality they are not purchasing eggs, 
but stock—the breed desired—and the eggs 
are consequently worth more than the 
price asked in a majority of cases. It is 
better to use purebred fowls at all times, 
but as there is a class of farmers who be¬ 
lieve in “ crossing,” and who prefer to use 
the hens they have, the suggestion of pro¬ 
curing a male of some preferred breed is 
made. No matter how promising a half- 
bred male may be, he will be useless as a 
sire if certain desirable characteristics are 
sought. There will be no uniformity in 
the chicks, and no progress whatever will 
result from the use of a male not full-bred, 
and it will pay to get the best also, even at 
a high cost, as the difference of a dollar or 
two is nothing compared with the ad¬ 
vantages gained. 
Then, again, it is extravagant to use any 
but the best. In fact, there are farmers all 
over the United States to-day who are 
feeding mongrels when they cannot afford 
to do so ; yet, with the outlay of a small 
sum to produce fowls for a special purpose, 
a profit may be secured where loss now 
results. No particular breed is recom¬ 
mended, for the reason that the choice must 
be decided by the objects in view. If a male 
of the Leghorn, Brahma, Plymouth Rock, 
Wyandotte, or Langshan breed be used, 
the offspring will be hardy, and the results 
will be excellent. An expense is also caused 
by the loss of time in deferring the matter. 
Now is the time to begin, as the season for 
mating and hatching is near, and with the 
use of pure breeds a book account of all 
receipts and expenses should be kept, in 
order to know exactly what has been done, 
what to do, and what not to do. Crossing 
with purebred males gives opportunities 
for making selections of the pullets. The 
points, markings, hardiness, early matur¬ 
ity, and prolificacy, all serve as guides to 
assist in doing better the second year. The 
educational advantages are fully as great 
as any others, and with the use of better 
stock will follow better care, judgment and 
a lessening of expenses in other directions ; 
while market qualities will secure higher 
prices and lead to more satisfactory results 
in many ways. The great drawback to the 
use of pure breeds is the supposition that 
they are costly ; but when an estimate is 
made of the cost, and a comparison is then 
made with regard to the prolificacy of the 
flocks, as well as the ease with which im¬ 
provement can be effected, no one can find 
reason to object. P. H. JACOBS. 
Atlantic County, N. J. 
take home to itself the truth that it is no 
part of its province to minister to Wall 
Street or to keep stocks from declining or 
to save speculators from impending failure, 
it would be far better for every material 
Interest worth conserving.—Journal of 
Commerce. 
Useless Middlemen.— For 20 years Con¬ 
gress has permitted the pension agents at 
Washington to dictate the pension legisla¬ 
tion of the country. During this time the 
flock of pension cormorants has reveled in 
the plunder of the public treasury and of 
the soldiers. At last it is discovered, when 
the extreme limit of profligate legislation 
has been reached, that the pension agents 
are of little use as intermediaries, and that 
the applicants for pensions can have their 
claims adjusted as rapidly, if not more so, 
by direct communication with the govern¬ 
ment.—Philadelphia Record (Dem.) 
Direct Taxation Preferable.— Much 
can be pertinently said in favor of direct 
taxation. Then the people would veto ex¬ 
travagant appropriations with the velocity 
of a steam car.—Troy Press. 
The South Hopeful.— It is quite likely 
that the collapse in the Argentine Republic 
will divert English capital from South 
America, and cause it to flow into the 
Southern States, where the advantages 
offered investors are unsurpassed. In the 
near future it will be no uncommon sight 
to see the greatest capitalists of the world 
hunting dollars in Southern fields of enter¬ 
prise.—Atlanta Constitution. 
A Desirable Uncle.— We are all of us 
possessed of certain effects which we would 
like to deposit in a Sub-Treasury and 
realize three-fourths of their actual value. 
Such a scheme -beats the ordinary pawnshop 
all hollow, and in addition would make it 
perfectly respectable for a man to “ visit 
his uncle,” if it happened to be his Uncle 
Sam.—Indianapolis News. 
Effective Instruction —The McKin¬ 
ley prices for all household supplies, from 
dry goods to provisions, are the true edu¬ 
cators of the people on the tariff question, 
and ex-Congressmen are not needed to in¬ 
struct them. The lesson is a severe one, 
and its severity is daily increasing, but it is 
getting in some most important work for 
the good of the country.—Boston Trans¬ 
cript (Rep.). 
A Screw Loose Somewhere.— The man¬ 
ufacturers of linen collars and cuffs in 
Troy and Lansingburgh are deliberating 
upon a 10 per cent reduction of wages. As 
the McKinley tariff iucreases the duty on 
these articles 50 per cent, “ for the better 
protection of American workingmen,” 
there must be something wrong with the 
humane doctrine of Protection. If any in¬ 
crease of wages has been made under the 
McKinley tariff the fact has escaped pub¬ 
lic attention. But the mention of decreases 
of wages has been quite frequent since this 
great measure of “ Protection to American 
Industry” went into operation.—Phila¬ 
delphia Record (Dem.). 
PifSrcUancousi 
In writing to advertisers please always 
mention The Rural. 
THE BEST KIND OF 
PROTECTION 
To Farm and Garden Interests 
Is secured by planting only 
The Best Seeds the World Produces. 
There are none better than Burpee’S, 
As Thousands upon Thousands Testify. 
An impartial, careful Reading ol 
Burpee's Farm Annual 1891 
Will probably persuade you to try 
This Practical Protection of your Garden 
Shall we mail you a copy? 
W. ATLEE BURPEE&. CO. 
PHILADELPHIA. PA. 
AROOSTOOK VALLEY 
SEED POTATOES. 
FO URTEE IV VARIETIKS. 
Three thousand barrels grown upon our own 
farms. Pure and true to name. Catalogue free. 
II. s. HARDISON tfc GO.. Caribou, Me. 
SCRIBNER’S 
LUMBER 
AND 
LOG BOOK. 
Over One Million Sold.— Most complete book of 
its kind ever published. Gives measurement of all 
kinds of lumber, logs, planks, timber ; hints to lum¬ 
ber dealers; wood measure, speed of circular saws, 
cord-wood tables, felling trees, growth of trees, land- 
measure, wages, rent, board, Interest, stave and head¬ 
ing bolts, etc. Standard book In the United States 
and Canada. Illustrated edition of 1882. Sent post¬ 
paid for 35 cents. 
G. W FISHER. Box 288, Rochester, New York. 
SOME NEWSPAPER OPINIONS. 
The fathers and mothers of these negro 
children were lately our slaves ; and their 
toil won our prosperity from the adverse 
conditions of the past; and simple grati¬ 
tude, to say nothing of anything higher, 
should move us to provide for their educa¬ 
tion. But added to this is the fact that 
they are citizens ; and as citizens they need 
the elevation that comes only from educa¬ 
tion. We earnestly hope something prac¬ 
tical will be done for the common schools of 
the State by the present legislature.—Pro¬ 
gressive Farmer, N. C. 
An English Opinion —It is probable 
that old party ties In America will, for 
some time to come, prevent the distinct 
emergence of a new party with a pro¬ 
gramme such as that of the Farmers’ Alli¬ 
ance. But the new party will make its in¬ 
fluence felt in both of the older organiza¬ 
tions. It would be a mistake to underrate 
the significance of the movement.—London 
Times. 
Congressional Financiering.— There 
have been several bills introduced at this 
session of Congress on the theory that 
some legislation is required for the relief 
of the money market and for the improve¬ 
ment of the financial position of those who 
are engaged in trade. There is not one of 
the proposed measures that would not add 
to the financial embarrassment if it was 
adopted. The trouble has been enhanced 
already by the action of Congress, and still 
more by the well-meant interference of the 
Secretary of the Treasury. If our govern¬ 
ment in all its departments could once 
AGEHTS 
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Circular 
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Greatly improved for 1891. Endorsed by leading agri¬ 
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“ I must have two next year.”—T. H. TKRRY. 
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of the Smoothing Harrow. 
“ We are using the Weeder to-day on a Held of potatoes a foot high, 
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DISTRIBUTES 
FERTILIZERS 
The Triumph of 
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Illustrated Circular sent free. 
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rEARLY IW FEBRUARY. 
The New Potato Culture.” 
By ELBERT S. CARMAN. Kditor 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
This book 
will give the results of the author’s Investi¬ 
gations and experiments during the oast 
fifteen years. Its object will be to show all 
who raise potatoes, whether for home use 
solely or for market as w 11. (hat the yield may be increased threefold without a corresponding Increase in the cost: to stow that the littl- garden patch, of a fortieth 
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experiments so long carried on at >he Rural Grounds, have, directly and indirectly, thrown more light upon the various problems involved in successful potato culture, 
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Brice, cloth, 75 cents; paper, 40 cents. THEiBIIRAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, Times Building, New York. 
